Verse 13.32
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
अनादित्वान्निर्गुणत्वात्परमात्मायमव्ययः | शरीरस्थोऽपि कौन्तेय न करोति न लिप्यते ||३२||
Transliteration (IAST)
anāditvān nirguṇatvāt paramātmāyam avyayaḥ | śarīra-stho 'pi kaunteya na karoti na lipyate ||32||
Word-by-Word Meanings
anāditvāt-being beginningless
nirguṇatvāt-being without gunas
paramātmā-the Supreme Self
avyayaḥ-imperishable
śarīra-sthaḥ-dwelling in the body
na karoti-does not act
na lipyate-is not tainted
Translation
Being beginningless and devoid of gunas, this imperishable Supreme Self, though dwelling in the body, O son of Kunti, neither acts nor is tainted.
Commentary
The Supreme Self's transcendence is established through three attributes: it is beginningless (anādi), quality-less (nirguṇa), and imperishable (avyaya). Despite appearing to dwell in the body, it neither performs action nor is affected by the results of action. Shankaracharya compares this to space within a pot - though seemingly contained, it remains unaffected by the pot's qualities.
Themes
atmanjnana